Just call me Carole
by Linneagb
Summary: Carole is taking care of Kurt when he's got the flu, Blaine's home with "loads of homework" but when there's a knock on the door turns out Blaine needs Carole just as much as he needs Kurt.


**Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have written sick-fics before, and yeah, yeah, yeah, I have got a couple of unfinished ones too. But I just can't stop writing them, they're so fun to write**

When I woke up that particular Saturday morning, I immediately felt that something wasn't right. My nose was stuffed, and the fact that had woken me up was that my head hurt so much it felt almost as it would blow up any second. I turned my head to look at the digital clock at my bedside table, it read 7:49 a.m. I heard talking downstairs, and then the door open and close when Finn left for Rachel's, Sam was spending his weekend taking care of Mercedes- who had the flu, so he wasn't in the house, but I could still hear dad and Carole chattering as I sat up- and put my head in my hands. Eventually, I managed to pull myself up from bed, and slowly make my way through the hallway and downstairs.

"Hey Buddy." Dad greeted me as he stood by the kitchen counter with a coffee cup in his hands. "Finn's left already, Rachel's caught the flu or something and called him. I gotta get to work so there'll only be you and Carole home today." I nodded, and sat down by the kitchen table, just as dad drank the last of his coffee, put the cup in the dishwasher, kissed Carole on the cheek, patted my shoulder and walked out the door.

"BYE." He shouted before throwing the door closed after him, I moaned- as with the sounds my headache escalated, and I stood up on shaky legs again.

"Kurt? Are you alright sweetie?" Carole asked worriedly, I nodded slowly. "I'm fine, just a bit tired. I'm gonna go lay down for a minute." I walked up the stairs to the second floor, fell down in my bed, and slept already before I had hit the pillows.

The next time I woke up I was freezing, though wet and clammy with sweat, my quilt had fallen down to the floor, and I sat up and reached for it. But when I had it wrapped around me, it didn't help much. I slipped my feet into slippers standing by my bed, and with the quilt still wrapped around me, I walked downstairs. Carole sat in the sofa in the living room, reading a book, the TV was running on without sound on, but Carole looked up when I came stumbling down the stairs, a scowl forming between her eyes.

"Kurt? Are you alright?" I hadn't even got the energy to lie to her, as I shook my head, which caused so much dizziness I stumbled towards the sofa, but just before I'd reached it, I fell to my knees and laid my clammy forehead towards the cool fabric, I closed my eyes as the spinning was making me nauseas, and I really don't want to start throwing up. But I could feel the fabric move against my head when Carole moved, and then I felt her hand on my forehead.

"Kurt sweetie, you're burning up."

"'m cold." I groaned I slightly opened my eyes to Carole's worried expression, she helped me to stand up enough to properly lay into the sofa, but when I saw that the clock had reached almost ten I tried to sit up and get out of the sofa.

"Go'a pigg ou' clothes, mall, mee'ing Blaine, 'Ina and Mige." I was so tired I couldn't talk enough to even pronounce K or T. Carole gently pushed me back into the sofa.

"Whoa sweetie you're not going anywhere, hmm, maybe you've got the same as Rachel."

"Maybe." I thought back to the last glee club, apparently, some of the jocks had thought it was funny to dip our microphone's in water, to ruin them, Mr. Schue had caught them, but the damage was already done at most of the microphone's and I, Rachel and Mercedes had to share. And I remembered that Mercedes had seemed a bit tired- and then she'd had the flu on Friday. I sighed- of course I had caught it.

My headache escalated again and I groaned. Carole combed her fingers through my hair, brushing through- of course making a mess of my chest brown tresses- so like them my mum used to have.

"Can you tell me where it hurts sweetie?" She combed her fingers through my hair again, just as I could remember my mum doing all those years ago when I was six and had the stomach flu- and remembering that- I both wanted to pull away from Carole, and just close my eyes and let her continue with pulling her hair through the tresses

"Head." I mumbled. "Nose stuffed, my stomach feels weird…. Dizzy."

"Do you feel nauseas?" Carole asked worriedly. I nodded slowly. "A bit."

"I'll go get the thermometer to check your temperature." Carole took support against the sofa and stood up, she walked out of the room, and soon was back and put the thermometer in my mouth. Two minutes later it beeped and she took it out.

"102, 3. You poor thing." She combed her hand through my hair again, but that's when I pulled away from her hand. She put the thermometer at the table and sat down next to me.

"Don't you want me to do that?"

"My mum used to…" I began. "I gotta." I tried to sit up. "Blaine…" Just as I said it, the tones of my Blaine singing "teenage dream" echoed through the room as Blaine called my cellphone, as my headache escalated again, I put my hands on my ears and whimpered.

"Do you want me to take it?" I nodded.

"Don't tell him to come… I don't want him to worry, Just tell him I've got much homework to do or something." I hated lying to Blaine- and truth be told I wanted- no- I needed him to be here. But I didn't want to bother him. Carole stood up and walked over to the bench in the hallway where I'd forgotten my cell the night before.

**Carole POV **

"Kurt's cellphone this is Carole" I answered Kurt's cell.

"Hello Mrs. Hummel." Blaine answered me politely, but his voice sounded hoarse and he coughed a few times before continuing.

"Blaine?" I asked- getting a bit worried. Was he ill too? "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine just a bit stressed out." He also sounded really tired. "Ehrm… can I talk to Kurt." I held the phone away from my face and looked to Kurt. He shook his head, I put the phone to my ear again.

"No… can I tell him something."

"Achoo." Blaine sneezed. "Yeah, can you tell him I won't be able to make it today? I've got tons of homework and I've got a test on Monday and… and I'm so, so, so, sorry but I won't be able to make it."

"I will tell him that. And don't feel bad because Kurt has got so much he was…actually thinking about the fact to tell you and say he wouldn't make it." I hated lying, but I knew Kurt wouldn't want Blaine to worry- and neither did I. "You sound a bit tired and so… so don't work all the time okay?" Blaine coughed again.

"Okay Mrs. Hummel." I smiled.

"How many times do I need to tell you Blaine? Just call me Carole."

"Okay Carole. I really gotta get to do some work."

"Good luck, bye Blaine."

"Goodbye Mrs. Hummel"

"Please just call me Carole."

"Okay, goodbye Carole."

"Goodbye Blaine."

"Blaine had loads of homework, so he couldn't make it either today." Kurt looked a bit sad, then he sat up and pulled his knees up to his chin, and put his arms around his legs. I walked over to him and stroke his knee. "Your mum used to play with your hair like that?" Kurt nodded, a few tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Hey… it's okay." I moved to sit by the head of the sofa. I laid my arm around Kurt's shoulders and pulled him close, all the while, while stroking his back. "It's okay to be sad Kurt, just let it out." Kurt sniveled and leaned his forehead against my shoulder but didn't sob or anything. I kept on stroking his back for another ten, fifteen minutes until Kurt pulled away.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled. I answered him that there was really nothing to be sorry for, and then Kurt laid down, I pulled up my phone to call his dad about some things.

"Hello honey." Burt answered.

"Hey Burt. Listen, Kurt's caught that flu…" I didn't have the time to finish the sentence until Burt interrupted.

"Is he alright? Should I come home?"

"No… he's fine. But could you run to the store for me as soon as you can and pick up some things?"

"Ey Scott." I heard Burt shout and knew that he was asking his co- worker about something. "Yeah, I'll do it now. What did you want?" I told him a number of things I needed, including mushroom soup- I knew that was Kurt's favorite, Gatorade and Tylenol. After hanging up on Burt I walked back to the living room, half of Kurt's quilt was on the floor and Kurt was sleeping tightly. I lifted the quilt up and tucked him in, before stroking away the chest- brown curls away from Kurt's forehead.

**Kurt POV **

The sound of voices woke me up, my vision was blurry, and though I could recognize the voices of my dad and Carole, I couldn't hear what they were saying. It got clearer and I stroke my eyes, after that I could see my dad kneeling down.

"You okay bud?" he felt my forehead. "Do you want me to stay home today?"

"No… no dad go to work… Carole…" I stuttered. Dad smiled to me and nodded. He took support against the sofa to stand up- said something to Carole I couldn't hear, and then left again. I could hear Carole putting the groceries in the fridge and lockers and then she came walking back into the living room and sat down by the edge of the sofa.

"Carole." I sniveled again.

"Yes?"

"Can you keep on playing with my hair like that again?" I didn't see her face, but I know she smiled at this.

"Of course sweetie." She started combing her fingers through my hair again. It felt nice.

**Carole POV**

I kept on combing my fingers through Kurt's chest brown hair, I could see him getting more and more relaxed and he seemed to be having more and more trouble to keep his eyes open.

"It's okay Kurt, sleep if you're tired Sleeping is the best way to get through this bug." Kurt opened his eyes fully and looked at me, I nodded. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." Kurt closed his eyes again, and soon his body relaxed fully as he fell asleep.

I stayed for another half hour, combing my hand through Kurt's hair over and over again. Soon I stood up, sat down in the other sofa and went back to reading my book. After just about another half an hour, then I heard Kurt sit up-

"Hey." I laid my book on the table and walked over to Kurt, and squatted down so I reached his height. "How are you feeling hon?" Kurt shrugged. "Do you want some soup?" he shrugged again. "Well… I'll go make some- will you try to eat then?" Kurt nodded, and pulled himself into sitting position. He sighed, then pulled his knees up to his chin and hugged his legs. I patted his knee before standing up and walking over to the kitchen.

I put the kettle on and the bags with soup out of the cupboard. I glanced at the clock- it was noon- two hours until Burt would come home- I poured soup in two bowls- one for Kurt and one for me, and walked into the living room- handing one of the bowls to Kurt, and sitting down in the other couch with my bowl. After I had eaten all mine- Kurt had barely ate half of his- and as he placed the bowl on the table and laid down again- I understood he didn't want anymore, as I took the bowl and walked back into the kitchen.

When I came back into the living room Kurt was just sitting up, he held one of his hand on his stomach, and breathed fitfully.

"Kurt?" I exclaimed. "Are you alright?" I had just asked when he clapped a hand over his mouth and rushed over the floor and into the bathroom. I followed close behind- knew what was coming and it was confirmed when Kurt sunk down by the toilet- heaving violently. I rushed over to his side, kneeled down and started rubbing circles on his back.

"Sch it's okay, just relax Kurt you're okay." I comforted in a calm voice. A whimper was heard from Kurt between two rounds of retching.

"Sch sweetie." I continued to rub circles. "Get it all out and you'll feel loads better." Kurt had brought up everything there was in his stomach- and was left dry- heaving for good two minutes- before he laid his head down on the cool porcelain of the bowl- breathing heavily.

"I want Blaine." He whimpered quietly. I pulled him closer to me.

"I know sweetie." I almost whispered. "I know." Kurt sniveled. "Do you feel better?" I asked after a few minutes of silence. Kurt nodded, and I helped him to stand up and- Kurt leaning on me- we walked out to the living room again, Kurt laid down again, and I put a bucket beside his head.

"You've got a bucket here if you get sick again." Kurt sniveled.

"I want my mum." He said- barely more than a whisper. It was one sentence- four words- and it completely broke my heart. I kneeled down again, stroke away Kurt's fringe and kissed him slightly on the forehead- heat radiating from the fever.

"I love you." I whispered in his ear. "But I know I could never replace your mum- and I hope I'm doing alright anyway." Kurt sniveled again, then laid his head towards my shoulder- and eventually fell asleep again. I laid his head down on the pillow and went back to continue the book- until an hour later- when Kurt started tossing and mumbling in his sleep.

"No… no mum… Blaine… no, no, no, no… no I didn't mean to, no I didn't mean to."

"Hush Kurt." I sat down on the sofa next to Kurt- and started stroking his hair again.

"No, no, I didn't mean to… please, p-P AAAH." Kurt screamed high- pitch and wordlessly when his eyes shot open and he sat up. He pulled his arms around me, grabbed my shirt tightly with both of his fists- leaned his head against my shoulder- and completely broke down crying.

"Sch Kurt… Hush Sweetie it's okay. You're okay." I stroke his back and rocked him back and forth like a little child all the while he was sobbing into my shirt.

"I want Blaine." He whimpered after most the while. "I want Blaine, I want Blaine…"

"I know sweetie." A knock was heard on the door, and I turned my head. Kurt let go of me as I stood up and walked out in the hallway and opened the door.

"Hello Mrs. Hummel." Outside stood Blaine- but his hair was curly and tousled so it had taken me a split second to recognize him without all the usual gel. He was dressed in sweat pants and a big black jacket I could assume belonged to either Mr. Anderson or Blaine's brother. But his unusual choose of clothes didn't distress me- neither did the fact that sleet was melting and washing the last rests of gel away from his hair- but Blaine Anderson looked miserable. I smiled softly at him.

"Hello Blaine… please just call…"

"I know, sorry, Carole. I just… I know I said I had loads of homework and tests and everything. But the real reason I couldn't come was simply because I'm ill, and I really feel like crap. And I know I lied to you, and I know Kurt's got loads of homework but I just need to meet him. P-please just let me meet him." Blaine stopped talking. I smiled again- laid a hand on his shoulderblade and led him into the living room. He chuckled slightly when he realized what was really going on with Kurt, then he walked over the floor and sat down next to Kurt. Kurt embraced his boyfriend and held him tightly and started sniveling again.

"I- I had a dream, and you and mum were drowning- a- a- and I didn't have enough time to rescue both of you- but then I couldn't decide and you both drowned and then you both stood there- and you said it was my fault… a- a- and you were so- o- o- m- m…" Kurt started sobbing uncontrollably.

"Sch Kurt." Blaine stroke his boyfriend's back. "It's okay Kurt I'm here now." Blaine said as they sat close together without saying a word for a long while. When Blaine loosened himself from Kurt, I walked over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Blaine, do you want me to take your coat and hang it in the hallway."

"No thanks Mrs. Hummel… and it isn't actually mine it's Cooper's, no. I just came here to see Kurt I think I…" Blaine stood up, stood there for a couple of second and sunk down on the sofa again.

"Please stay." Kurt said- barely more than a whisper. Blaine had closed his eyes and only shook his head barely. "I'm fine Mrs. Hummel. Just stood up too fast and got a bit dizzy." Blaine pushed himself out of the sofa… and sunk down again, leaning against the back of it. I walked around the sofa and felt his forehead.

"Oh sweetie you're burning up." I exclaimed. "I don't think you should drive today."

"Don't want to be a burden." He mumbled.

"Oh don't say that. You're never a burden. Here let me take your coat." I took Blaine's coat and walked to hang it in a hook in the hallway. When I came into the living room again- I saw that Blaine's hoodie and sweat pants were soaked. I smiled again.

"I'll go get something warm and dry for you to wear." Blaine nodded thank you. I walked downstairs- and got one of Finn's hoodies- sweat pants and socks for Blaine to wear- it would be way too big for Blaine- but at least it had just gotten out of the drying cabinet- and was still warm- I walked upstairs again and handed Blaine the clothes, he walked into the bathroom- Kurt had fallen asleep again

"Where shall I put these?" Blaine came out from the bathroom holding his own clothes. I stood up- took them from him and walked downstairs with them, when I came up again, Blaine sat by Kurt in the sofa.

"Mrs. Hummel?"

"Yes Blaine?"

"Thanks." I waved it off.

"You're always welcome Blaine."

"May I take a glass of water from the kitchen?" he asked politely, I shook my head slightly at him and smiled.

"You don't have to ask sweetie. If you want something to eat or drink just go take it." Blaine smiled, and nodded thank you, before standing up and walking out in the kitchen, I stood up and walked after him. He coughed a couple of times and stroke his neck.

"Sore throat?" I asked him and stopped by the freezer and fridge. He nodded, and coughed again.

"I don't think we've got any ice cream if you'd like that." I looked through the freezer- nope- no ice cream. "But when Finn was little sometimes we used to put yoghurt in the freezer-" I pulled out a tetra with strawberry- yoghurt from the fridge. "My throat feels a bit sore too so I was gonna do it for myself- would you like some? Blaine shrugged at first then smiled.

"Yes If it's not too much trouble I would like that Mrs…" he stopped when I pretended to look offended at him. "…Carole" he smiled. I smiled too, and put two bowls with yoghurt in the freezer.

"I don't think I'll have Kurt to eat anything just yet. I'll give him some Gatorade once he wakes up- and if he can keep that then maybe…." I thought out loud. About twenty minutes later, I got the bowls out of the freezer, and scooped around with a spoon- then put them back in the freezer, I did that a few times, and then walked to the living room with them. Blaine took a spoon.

"Mm." He exclaimed. "This is really good… you have to give me the recipe-" he chuckled, I did too- I knew he knew there wasn't really a recipe.

"Do you want to borrow our phone Blaine?" I asked after some while. "I mean… if you're staying here maybe you should tell your parents so they won't worry." Blaine sighed- and suddenly looked a bit sad- I frowned- worried I'd said something wrong when he spoke up again.

"No thanks Mrs. Hummel…. Sorry… Carole. My parents they… they travel a lot…. They're in Boston right now." I nodded, Blaine put the empty bowl at the table, and looked to the floor. I put my bowl at the table and moved over to sit next to him, I put a hand on his back and sunk down. Blaine let out a half suppressed sob and lifted his hand to stroke away a tear.

"I'm sorry." I could hear him suppressing more sobs.

"There's nothing to be sorry for sweetie." I said softly while rubbing the boy's back. "If you want to… just let it out Blaine- it's usually quite much easier to bear then." Blaine let out another sob. I stroke my palm up and down his back- and could tell it got harder and harder for him to suppress the sobs and fight back the tears.

"It's just hard you know, they're gone all the time. I come home to an empty house every night when I leave here in the afternoon, I have to cook my own dinner- and I'm a terrible cook! I remember once- I think I was nine or ten and had the stomach flu- and I threw up all over my bed- but I was alone." Seriously? I mean seriously? Did they leave a sick nine- year old by himself at night. "I mean what could I do? I got up at two A.m. and put everything in the laundry- then fell asleep, did the exact same an hour later, then again… not the best night ever. Sorry, of course you didn't want to know that." I shook my head.

"It's okay sweetie," I combed my hair through the tousled pitch- black curls. I knew this wasn't about being ill, this was about a little boy being tired of being alone.

"And today… I was gonna stay at home… but I just… I needed a hug." I laughed slightly- I knew that feeling. "And I needed Kurt so bad." Blaine's voice broke as he started sobbing again. I laid my arm around his shoulders and pulled him close to me- stroking his back.

"Hush it's okay sweetie." Blaine kept on sobbing. "Sch, sch, sch, it's alright, it's alright. Sch." I rocked him back and forth as I used to do with Finn when he was little and cried. Blaine eventually stopped crying and pulled away from me.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Hummel" He mumbled, I smiled softly at him. "There's nothing to be sorry for Blaine sweetie- except for calling me Mrs. Hummel." I smirked so he knew I was joking. "Please Blaine, just call me Carole." Blaine nodded.

"And Blaine…" I continued. "Can I lend your phone for just a second?" he looked confused at me, then pulled out his cell from his pocket and reached it to me- I saved both my and Burt's cellphone numbers in it.

"If there is ever something you need, a cooked dinner for example… or a place to stay or…. Money or anything else. You can call any of us- if you need somewhere to stay over the night and can't drive for any reason- just call and one of us will be right there to pick you up okay?" Blaine nodded.

"You're being way too nice to me Mrs. Hummel." He said hoarsely.

"I'm being nice just enough, and please call me Carole." Blaine was now almost asleep.

"You can take that couch if you want to. I'll go put your clothes in the drying cabinet." I walked downstairs again- when I came up I had almost expected to find Blaine in the couch I had pointed to- but I found the two boys sleeping tightly in one sofa- wrapped in each other's arms. I smiled and had just sat down when the door opened and Burt came in.

"Hello." I held a finger to my lips to show him to be quiet not to wake the boys. He smiled when he saw the two in the sofa, then came and sat down next to me, I rested my head against his shoulder and somehow fell asleep like that.

When I woke up late afternoon, I saw Blaine sitting up in the sofa, Burt had too fallen asleep, against me of course, I gently pushed him away, he just leaned over, hit the pillow on the edge of the sofa and carries on sleeping. I walk over to Blaine and sit down by him, again holding a hand on his back.

"Are you feeling alright?" I laid a hand on his forehead, the temperature seemed to have gone down to normal.

"Yes… Mrs. Hummel?" I laugh.

"Burt's mum's Mrs. Hummel…. Please just call me Carole." Blaine nodded yes.

"Carole… I know you don't think it's anything to thank for… but thank you anyway…. For everything." Blaine smiled. I ruffled with my fingers in the black curls.

"I suppose I would better go home now. Ehrm.." Blaine stood up and then hesitated. "Ehrm, Cooper will go ballistic if he comes home and realizes I've taken his coat… "Tell… Tell Kurt… to get well okay, I will call tomorrow." I nodded, then stood up and embraced Blaine.

"Just call if you need anything okay." I told him, he shrugged, as I patted his shoulder.

"Goodbye," I said as he walked towards the door.

"Bye Mrs. Hummel." I sighed- what would it take for Blaine to actually realize he could call me by my first name? I shook my head, then sat down in the couch again to read.

The next morning I woke up from my phone calling, my head felt as if it was going to blow up- and it felt as there was small needles pinching the inside of my throat- oh great! I had caught the bug from Blaine. But- nothing to do about that! As I stretched for the phone on the bedside table "FINN" read over the screen.

"Yes honey?"

"Mummy I don't feel so good." I heard on Finn's voice that he was telling me the truth, that soft tone. I smiled- despite his size he was always my little boy. **(A/N…. "sob") **

"Do you want me to come and get you?"

"Nah. Rachel's better now and I think she's taking care of me." I smiled… well… my little boy was growing up.

"Okay… did you want anything?"

"No… just to hear your voice…. But you don't sound like you usually do." I smiled again.

"No I've got a bit of a sore throat… I think I've caught that bug too."

"Rachel kind of seems like she wants to feed me soup now." Finn said- a confused tone in his voice.

"Okay Finn, call again if you need anything."

"M'kay mum… mum?"

"Yes honey?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, all the way to the moon…" I hadn't finished the sentence when Finn interrupted.

"…and back again… I…. I… is the sun further away from earth than the moon?"

"Yes it is."

"Then I love you all the way to the sun and back." The phone beeped, as Finn hung up- yep, he was still my little boy.

It was only a few days later when I was in the car on my way home from work and my phone started vibrating, I picked it up, pressed the green button.

"Carole?"

"Hello Mrs. Hummel… I'm not bothering am I?"

"Hello Blaine, no and please just call me Carole."

"Sorry Mrs. Hummel, listen… I'm sorry, but I'm home alone, car's broken, and for dinner, I can have as much as three salt crackers and sour milk." I let hear a short laugh.

"I'll be there in half an hour."

"Thank you Mrs. Hummel."

"Please just call me Carole"

**SOMEONE GIVE ME A BLAINE TO HUG RIGHT NOW! But I had some different options and this seemed to be the best**

**The cover for this is a collage I made on my phone, up left is a photo I shot on a snowy day, with the title for the story, then there's a pic of Romy Rosemont- Carole, a pic of Darren Criss- Blaine (without hairgel and that is just adorable) and then a pic of Chris Colfer- Kurt, and in the bottom right if you get the pic big you can see it says "written by: LinnéaGB" **

**Gosh, writing that conversation between Finn and Carole nearly had me in tears. **

**So, review or get caught by Blaine and the other's flu.**


End file.
